Welcome, I’m Larissa

I want it all.

But ALL has a different definition in each season of life.

How do I be the best wife, mother, entrepreneur, friend (insert any other title here) I can be, without guilt, and still find time for self-care and being truly present for the precious moments in life?

I want to be the master of my own destiny and live on my own terms, always.

As a multi-passionate creative, I always have multiple projects on the go, each with lists… and lists of the lists I have to write! I needed a system to keep it all together, and on an emotional level, to keep me altogether.

I designed a flexible combination of physical planners, spreadsheets and digital tools, each with different purposes for different seasons of life.

Turning dreams into reality requires vision, clarity… and a beautiful planner!

Like the Little Black Dress in the fashion world, I wanted something chic, sophisticated and timeless in its versatility. The Little Black Dress evolves with the trends but is never beholden to them. Its refined elegance and understated grace draw attention to the individual, not the dress itself.

It is my goal to live with intention, not by default, manifest my wildest dreams and live an inspirational life of happiness and abundance… and inspire and empower others to do the same.

Larissa by Design is a collection of chic, elegant and versatile resources to make your dreams a reality, live intentionally and create your best life . . . BY DESIGN

My Story

As a paper-loving, pen-hoarding, notebook collector I have always loved designing my dream life. My happiest hours are spent imagining possibilities, mapping out a plan to make them my reality and ticking off my progress with a rainbow of metallic pens.

An overachiever at school, I loved to learn and always worked to the very highest standard. With conflicting passions of art and maths, I excelled at Graphic Design and had aspirations in Architecture and Graphic Design. Hard-working and motivated with dreams of building my Architectural empire and designing ultra-high-end designer homes. It all sounded wonderful.

Until it wasn’t.

My world turned upside-down as I battled clinical depression through my late teens and early twenties.

On my darkest days, I felt deeply alone, trapped in a haze of hopelessness. I couldn’t think, couldn’t focus. Anxiety and emptiness became my whole life, the light at the end of the tunnel was permanently out.

Through a long, painful journey, I began to find hope. I started a hobby business, Neptune’s Flame, crafting dream catchers. Smiles as people appreciated my creations became small sparks of light that eventually re-kindled my passion for learning and design.

I eventually enrolled in University to study Design, majoring in Fashion. In witnessing the competitive, trend-orientated world of fashion design, I realised that I was not the path I wanted to follow.

Now in my thirties, happily married with children I divided my time between managing Neptune’s Flame, working part-time, and motherhood. I still wanted it all, but ALL now had a different definition.

How do I be the best wife, mother, entrepreneur, friend (insert any other title here) I can be, without guilt, and still find time for self-care and being truly present for the precious moments in life?

Self-development, entrepreneurship, and creative small businesses management became my obsession.

I want to be the master of my own destiny and live on my own terms, always.

Today, I use my design skills to create resources to live life with intention, not by default, to generate hope and create my own light at the end of the tunnel. To live my best life on my terms.

As a multi-passionate creative, I always have multiple projects on the go, each with lists… and lists of the lists I have to write! I needed a system to keep it all together, and on an emotional level, to keep me altogether. I designed a flexible combination of physical planners, spreadsheets, and digital tools, each with different purposes for different seasons of life.

Turning dreams into reality requires vision, clarity… and a beautiful planner!

In hindsight all roads lead me here; I have been making planners and calendars since I was a small child. Before we had a computer, I would meticulously rule every page and hand calligrapher the months. I love art and design, but also find a sophisticated beauty in precision and symmetry.

I have a collection of notebooks that are “too pretty” to write in, business planners were often stuffy, boring, and corporate. I wanted something beautiful, refined, and elegant, yet practical and flexible for everyday life.

Like the Little Black Dress in the fashion world, I wanted something chic, sophisticated, and timeless in its versatility. The Little Black Dress evolves with the trends but is never beholden to them. Its refined elegance and understated grace draw attention to the individual, not the dress itself.

I design beautiful, creative resources to help inspire women to live the best version of themselves, organise their lives and achieve their dreams.

It is my goal to live with intention, not by default, manifest my wildest dreams and live an inspirational life of happiness and abundance… and inspire and empower others to do the same.